Change the Bylaws of Yesterday to Reflect the Faces of ID Today

In an effort to integrate principles of diversity, inclusion and equity into everything we do at IDSA, the Board of Directors approved governance changes this past summer to ensure that every level of the Society leadership reflects the full dimensions of our ID community.

One of these proposed changes will require the participation – and vote – of IDSA members. In early December 2018, you will be asked to vote in favor of changing the IDSA bylaws to transition the task of identifying potential IDSA leaders, including members of the Board of Directors, from the current Nominations Committee to a new Leadership Development Committee.

This new Leadership Development Committee will have a broader mission. Namely, it will identify gaps in leadership within the Society and help us recruit volunteers with unique experiences and skill sets. Working in tandem with our newly established Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Task Force, it will also help us tap into a new pool of potential leaders and volunteers with diverse competencies and backgrounds (i.e. age, race/ethnicity, gender, work setting, region, member degree, professional activity, key areas of expertise).

To accomplish this mission, the Leadership Development Committee will be a diverse group consisting of about 12-15 people identified from the Society membership at large. By comparison, our current Nominations Committee consists of seven members drawn largely from current and past members of the Board of Directors. This change was outlined by our Governance Task Force as an important step toward ensuring that our governance structure is one that will foster a successful future for IDSA. Further, we believe we can better engage new generations of ID specialists, help the Society identify specific talents and competencies and help us ensure that the Society leadership reflects the face of ID.

Importantly, while we're transitioning the Nominations Committee to the Leadership Development Committee, our current election process will remain the same. Next year, we will be exploring other changes in our election process to better incorporate principles of diversity, inclusion and equity. You'll be hearing more about these opportunities in the months ahead.

Now we need your involvement. Moving from a Nominations Committee to a Leadership Development Committee requires a change in our Society bylaws and your vote. In early December, you'll be receiving an emailed ballot similar to the emailed ballots you've received previously for board elections. Please vote YES to approve this change – for the future of ID.

You’re invited to participate in a webinar, Reflecting the Faces of ID: Governance Changes for the Future, on Nov. 28 at 12 p.m. EST. IDSA President Cynthia Sears, MD, FIDSA will be joined by IDSA Immediate Past President Paul Auwaerter, MD, MBA, FIDSA and Governance Task Force Chair and IDSA Past President Bill Powderly, MD, FIDSA to discuss these changes and answer your questions. RSVP for the webinar at this link.

Learn more about these exciting changes and find answers to frequently asked questions here. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn using the hashtags #FacesofID and #IDBylawsVote.